Works on site have been focused on completing ground investigations, with access to borehole locations provided by our framework contractor. This phase of the works is expected to continue until the end of April.

On 18 March, a fish rescue was successfully carried out using specialist fisheries equipment.

Access has now been established into the canal bed to allow plant and machinery to complete borehole investigations in this area, and to enable excavation of the embankment to begin in preparation for reconstruction works.

The next stage of the works will involve unblocking the buried culvert so that it can be fully inspected.

A reminder that an FAQ page has been created for boaters and can be accessed here. We will continue to provide updates as work progresses.

We are today able to share the initial findings of the investigation into the Llangollen Canal breach that occurred at Whitchurch, Shropshire, last December. The full investigation is still ongoing while the site is being drained and cleared, and a further report will be made available once it has concluded in the coming months.

Prepared by Canal & River Trust engineers, supported by technical experts, the initial report poses an emerging hypothesis for the possible causes of the breach. At this stage the findings suggest the breach was likely caused by a combination of a number of specific physical characteristics in this location, combined with an undetected long-term, deep-seated leak beneath the canal bed, which we believe caused erosion below the canal bed, ultimately resulting in the collapse of the embankment.

While breaches of this scale remain extremely rare, we are already taking forward a number of recommendations from the investigation in order to ensure we take all action possible to enhance the resilience of canal infrastructure. This includes exploring new and innovative technologies to assist in maintenance, inspection and monitoring regimes.

We are committed to repairing the canal and restoring navigation as soon as possible in order to get boats back on the water and to allow all users to enjoy this stretch of the canal again. We will post further updates as the repair progresses, and in the meantime thank everyone again for their patience and support.

Read the initial findings report here.

A suitably graded access ramp and turning area have now been completed. This will enable safer and more efficient delivery of materials, removing the need for vehicles to reverse onto the A41 trunk road. With this in place, construction of the compound area and safe machine access to the canal can now progress.

Over the coming weeks, our team will begin removing trench sheets that were damaged during the breach. At the same time, ground investigations will be carried out to assess conditions and determine which materials can be reused as part of the repair. Major excavation work within the breach cannot begin until these investigations are complete, although machinery will be on site to undertake trial pits and provide access for borehole rigs.

Approximately 13 million litres of water have already been pumped from the flooded field into the adjacent foul sewer. A fish rescue is scheduled for this week, after which the remaining water will be fully pumped away. Once this is complete, we will be able to clear and inspect the blocked culvert that passes beneath the canal.

Vegetation clearance along both embankments have also been completed. This has included the felling of one mature oak tree and the trimming of a further five oak trees to create the necessary working area for the embankment reconstruction. Over‑pumping continues, with approximately 34 megalitres of canal water pumped past the breach last week.

An FAQ page has been created for boaters, which can be accessed here:

Llangollen Canal breach boating FAQs | Canal & River Trust

We will continue to provide updates as work progresses.

A preferred design has been chosen to repair the breach, using a reinforced soil slope with geogrids and granular materials to rebuild the embankment. Our engineers, together with consultants and specialists, are finalising the design so construction can begin as soon as possible.

Our contractors have continued constructing the haul/access road across neighbouring farmland between the breach and the A41, with traffic management installed on the night of 22nd February to allow completion of this access. The flooded field next to the breach is being carefully pumped into an adjacent foul sewer, and a fish rescue will take place once water levels are lowered. Essential vegetation management will start this week to prepare for rebuilding the embankment and canal.

Canal water continues to be pumped past the breach to maintain water levels and supply Hurleston Reservoir. We will continue to provide updates as work progresses.

Now that the three boats have been successfully recovered from the breach site, the focus has shifted to repairing the breach as quickly as possible. Significant work has already been progressing behind the scenes, with the Trust working closely alongside our design teams, consultants and specialists to develop the breach repair design.

Land access has now been agreed, allowing us to continue installing the site compound and haul road, and to commence dewatering of the flooded field. Essential vegetation clearance and management will also take place in preparation for the main breach repair works. Site access will require traffic management measures on the A41.

In the meantime, canal water continues to be pumped past the breach site to maintain canal water levels and to ensure essential water supplies to Hurleston Reservoir are maintained. We will continue to provide updates as work progresses

We are pleased to report that the three boats most impacted by the breach have now been recovered and refloated. Our focus will now turn to the work required to rebuild the canal and reopen it as soon as possible.

Given the size and scale of the repair to reinstate the canal, work is unfortunately expected to continue for much of 2026. We appreciate that some boaters on the stretch of canal north of the breach may wish to move their boat before the canal repairs are complete and are grateful that Whitchurch Marina is providing the option for boats to be moved before the breach is repaired.

Engineering investigations into the cause of the breach are ongoing, and we will publish a summary of our findings once complete. For further information, please see our FAQs regarding the breach below:

Llangollen Canal breach boating FAQs | Canal & River Trust

This week, work at the breach site will focus on recovering the three remaining boats. One boat that was winched clear of the breach before Christmas will be refloated by moving it into a dry section of canal, installing a temporary dam, and reintroducing water.

The two boats currently within the breach will also be recovered as part of the planned works. An excavator will first be brought in to carefully reprofile the steep sides of the breach, creating a gradual slope to allow the boats to be winched out for assessment and, where possible, refloating.

We will continue to provide updates as work progresses and to support boaters affected by the incident. For any questions or concerns, please contact us on 0303 040 4040 or email <[email protected].>

Water levels have continued to recover and good progress is being made on site. A number of boats have successfully re-floated as levels have risen, and assisted passage has been arranged to allow boats to move safely off the pound.

Monitoring of water levels is ongoing, and the closure remains in place while detailed repair plans are being developed.

We would like to thank boaters, local residents and businesses for their patience and cooperation while this complex incident continues to be managed. Further updates will be issued as progress continues.

The upstream winding hole has been changed from Bridge 31A Whitchurch By-Pass bridge to Bridge 33 Hassells bridge.

This is because the winding hole at Bridge 31A is no longer accessible due to the pumping arrangements.

For any questions or concerns, please get in touch with us on 0303 040 4040 or email [email protected]. Please note our customer service hours over Christmas. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us

Since our last update, temporary dams have been installed closer to the breach to reduce the length of canal remaining dry while repair plans are developed. Water has been pumped back into the dammed sections and levels are now recovering.

Several boats in the affected area are beginning to refloat, with more expected to be fully afloat later today. One boat that was at immediate risk at the edge of the breach has been safely recovered using specialist equipment and is now secured nearby. Two boats remain within the breach and will be recovered as part of planned works.

Engineers have begun detailed investigations into the cause of the embankment failure and will continue this work into the new year. The embankment is subject to a regular inspection regime by the Trust's specialist inspectors and engineers, as is routine for all its assets. Understanding exactly what caused the embankment to be undermined will inform the preparation of a repair plan for the process of rebuilding and reopening the canal.

We will continue to support boaters affected by this incident. For any questions or concerns, please get in touch with us on 0303 040 4040 or email [email protected]. Please note our customer service hours over Christmas. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us

We will provide further updates as soon as they are available.

A breach on the Llangollen Canal near New Mills Lift Bridge, Whitchurch, happened in the early hours of this morning (22 December).

Our teams are on site and have dammed off the affected section of canal. The priority is the safety of boaters and those in the immediate area. The towpath and canal at this point are now closed to public access.

We are carrying out initial investigations into the possible cause of the breach and will provide more details in due course. We will also seek to restore water levels either side of the breach as soon as possible and are providing support to the boaters affected and those in the immediate area either side of the breach.

If your boating plans, access, or business operations have been disrupted by this incident, please get in touch with us on 0303 040 4040 or email [email protected]

We will provide further updates as soon as they are available. For any immediate risk to life, call 999.

Please be advised that due to an incident, there is an emergency closure in place between Lock 6 Grindley Locks and Bridge 31A, Whitchurch By-Pass bridge.

Please do not approach from either direction and we will provide an update in due course.